Machine for delivering or dispensing lengths of sealing tape from a roll



July 5, 1938. o. MASSEY ,8

MACHINE FOR DELIVERlNG OR DISPENSING LENGTHS OF SEALING TAPE FROM A ROLLFiled Nov. 30, 1936 5 Sheets-Shea; 1.

July 5, 1938. o. MASSEY 2,122,843

MACHINE FOR DELIVERING OR DISPENSING LENGTHS OF SEALING TAPE FROM A ROLLJuly 5, 1938. Q MASSEY 2,122,843

MACHINE FOR DELIVERING 0R DISPENSING LENGTHS OF SEALING TAPE FROM A ROLLFiled Nov. 30, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented July 5, 1938 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE ING LENGTHS OF SEALING TAPE ROLL FROM A Owen Massey,Harborne, Birmingham, England Application November 30, 1936, Serial No.113,444 In Great Britain March 20, 1936 11 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for dispensing or delivering lengthsof sealing tape from a roll of paper, linen, or the like used forsealing parcels, packages, and for other such purposes.

The object of the invention is the provision of a machine by which one,two, or more different lengths of tape can be delivered at will; whichis provided with length-determining means of simple construction, quickand easy to operate;

which has a plurality of length-determining devices adjustableindependently of each other; which in one form provides for a moreeffective condition of the adhesive when a damping de vice is employed;and which allows machines functioning in a different manner to be builtup from common parts.

Having the aforesaid and other objects in view as will appear from aperusal of the following description, the invention consists in thenovel combinations of parts described in the annexed specification,illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointedout in the appended claims.

For a clear understanding of the invention, reference may be had to theaccompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine according to the inventionwith certain parts omitted and broken away for clarity.

Figure 2 is an elevation and Figure 3 a sectional plan of an adjustablebearing for the main spindle of the machine shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 depicts an alternative form of bearmg.

Figure 5 is a sectional plan view of the operating lever included inFigure 1 with the section plane on line 5-5.

Figures 6, 7 and 8 are fragmentary diagrammatic views illustrating theaction of the pawls appearing in Figure 1.

Figure 9 is a plan of Figure 1. Figure 10 illustrates a portion of thecalibrated indicator for length of strip.

Figure 11 is an elevation looking at right angles to Figure 1.

Figure 12 is an end elevation of the guillotine. Figures 13, 14 and 15depict the action of an alternative form of pawl mechanism.

A machine according to the invention can readily be adapted to operatein the manner customary with tape delivering machines, that is, bydelivering the tape on the first stroke of the operating lever; or in anentirely novel manner which provides for an interval of time between themoistening of the strip and its removal from the machine whereby theadhesive has sufiicient time to change its condition from that of a hardsmooth gum to a sticky or tacky surface Well adapted for firm and secureadhesion to the surface to which it is applied. To provide for theaforesaid interval of time between moistening and using, the strip ismoistened and paid out, not on the first or active stroke made by theoperator, but on the return stroke so that the moistened strip remainsin or attached or connected 10 to the machine during the time theoperator is using a previously-paid-out length, ready for severance fromthe roll or detachment from the machine by or at the next succeedingactive stroke made by the operator. In this manner, the time intervalbetween two successive workings of the machine is utilized formaterially improving the condition of the adhesive, as alreadyexplained.

It is convenient to effect the return stroke of O the machine by springmeans and the following description sets forth a machine so constructedand arranged to operate,though the functioning of the other parts is notaffected if the spring is omitted and the operating lever returnedmanually.

In Figure 1, the operator-operated lever I by which the machine isworked is journ'ally mounted for oscillatory movement on a dead shaft 2,and is connected transmissionally with the tape during one stroke of thelever by a one-way device comprising a toothed wheel 3 and co-operatingpawls 2|, 22 hinged on the lever. Concentric with the ratchet wheel andin torque-transmitting relationship thereto is the driving wheel of atrain of gearing connected to propel the strip through the machine,which wheel in order to simplify the construction may serve as theratchet wheel as illustrated in the drawings.

Under the pressure of the return spring 6 (which is conveniently of thetorsion or clock type) while the machine is not being operated, theoperating lever is held against a stop adjustable to enable theeffective stroke of the lever to be varied according to the length oftape to be delivered. To extend the convenience of the machine, aplurality of adjustable stops and a by-passing mechanism are provided sothat any stop can be selectively and functionally brought into action bya simple movement of the knob of the control lever which permits of thestop or stops being avoided without necessitating movement of the stop.Such stops comprise an arm. I hinged about the operating lever shaft 2and furnished at its outer end with a-radial peg 8 which can beintroduced into any one of a large number of radial slots 9 Figures and11 cut in the rim of a stop-holding disc II! also fixed concentricallywith the said shaft. The rim H may be of annular shape to enclose thegearing except at the part where the lever operates where it is cut awayand the edge slotted as mentioned; screws 12 hold the rim and disc'tothe adjacent frame member [3. To locate the stop arms lat- N erally, aspacing disc [4 is placed adjacent the Figure 10 such as l, 2", 3" etc.up to the maximum length forwhich the: machine is designed;

For co-operation. with the adjustable stops, the. operating lever hasaprojection It Figures 1 and. 5 which normally, lies, parallel'to themain shaft and at right anglesftothe radial stops 8 to abut against thelatter and'check the return motion of the lever. The radial lengths ofthe adjustable stops difier from one another, the longest being remoteand: the shortest nearest the cut.- ting portion. of the operating leverstroke (left and, right respectively in Figure 1) while the peg I 6 is:capable of movement towards or away from; the shaft 2- to suit thelength of the selected radial stop. Suitable means for such movementcomprise a rockshaft' t1 mounted in the-tubular end l-8 of the operatinglever,. a knob I 9 fixed to thefouter end of the rockshaft by which thelatter may-beturnedand slid, a channelor U shaped slot in the peripheryof the tubular lever, and:

the peg, t6 fixed-radially in the rockshaft to en gage the channel or Ushaped slot. The number of transverse limbs of. the slotx2ilaccords withthe number, of, adjustable stops, two being illustrated, enabling thepeg to belocated and fixed: at the particular. radial distance fromshaftv 2 to come into or to avoid contact with a particular stop orstops, merely by turning and. sliding and re-turning the rockshaft. bymeans of. the knob I 9; Thereby the machine can be set to deliver twoor. more lengths of tape, and any one ofv the lengths canbe delivered.without disvaluewhen the machine is. used for packing operations'.

A suitable. emplacement for. the return spring 6 isintermediate thespacing disc I4 Figure 11 and the operating. lever, with. one. endanchored: to thelatter and the othertoa fixedpoint such as the shaft 2;

. In the following description. of: the pawl engaging and. dis-engagingmeans, two pawls are described; in order that, as already adulnbrated,

- one machine. Withcommon parts can be readily adapted without,structural change to work. in the pjawllarrangedato operate, in theparticular manner desired;v

Eorconvenience-in manufacture and marketing, twopawls 2|, 22 Figures 1,6, '7 and 8, are hinged at'-23' on a common pin fixedto thelever I witha. coiled tension, spring 24strt0hed be- The slots Q'are spaced tweenthe two, the anchorage points of the spring on the two pawls and therelation of such anchorage points to the hinge point 23 being soarranged that actuation of one of the pawls by contact with a stationarypart 25 on the frame of the machine results in the other pawl beingturned on its pivot when the spring passes the dead centre. Thestationary part 25 conveniently consists of a peg screwed into themachine frame 13, for contact with a tail piece 26 extending from theback of the pawl 22, these two contacting parts in co-operation with thespring effecting an engaging or disengaging action of both pawls, thoughonly the one selected is effective. To hold the idle pawl in anon-operating position, a stop in the form of a screwed pin 2? isinserted in either of two tapped holes Figure '7 provided in a lateralenlargement 28 on the lever I. shown in that figure but omitted fromothers for clarity. Limiting stops 29 on the lever i checkthe outwardsor dis-engaging movements of the two pawls; the latter being providedeach with an integral lug 5"! for' contact with the respective stop 29'as illustrated in Figure '7, but not shown in the other views for thesake of clarity.

For convenience of drawing and explanation, the stationary part 25 isillustrated in Figures 68 in different relative positions, though itwill be understood that the motions occur as the operating levercarrying its pawls is displaced around its axis of oscillation. InFigure 1, the pawl 22 is driving the toothed wheel in a clockwise direction and the strip is being fed out from the delivery end of themachine in the usual man ner, at the termination of which deliverystroke the feed ceases and the guillotine cuts off the strip. In thiscase, delivery has commenced from the point of the operating leverdefined by the lefthand'stop 8. The co-operation of the pawls, theirspring, and the stationary part will be described more particularlyafter the general structure of the machine and the guillotine have beendealt with;

Constructionally, the machine may be built with two spaced side framemembers [3-, 33 Figure 9: at the outer face of one of which theoperating lever I and associated parts are arranged, the space betweenthe frame members being occupied by the paper or other roll, guides,feeding mechanism; moistening means, which can be of conventional kind,and the cut-oi? device. The roll itself is mounted on an idle spindle,and the feed rollers 3|, 32 drive the strip and not the rollto avoidtheeffect of. decreasing roll diameter; Grip is obtained by forming thefeed rollers as toothed wheels one spring urged and the other 31 fixedto a live spindle 33 which at one end carries a pinion 34" in mesh withan intermediate toothed wheel 35 which in turn meshes with the maintoothed driving spur wheel 3. The ratio of the gearing and the diameterof the driven feed roller 3| are chosen to feed unit length of strip.for unit displacement of the operating lever. The other simplemodification to the machine for normal or reverse working is to thisgear train. To feed the strip on the return stroke of the operatinglever involves a change of direction of rotation so that the feed rollershall continue to rotatein the same direction in both types of machine,and therefore the intermediate wheel is omitted or removed, and the mainwheel 3 with all its appurtenances is displaced so that it meshesdirectly with the driven wheel 34;. Several constructions will allow ofsuch diformed with an integral collar 4| Figure 11, and

frictionally held at either end of the slot such as 39 by a nut 42 andlarge washer 43; or two holes may be used instead of the slot for thelast method. In addition, extra holes are pro- Vided in the side framel3 for the stationary part 25 which operates the pawls, and for thescrews I2 which fix the stop-holding disc l0.

Towards the delivery end of the machine is disposed the cutting-oifdevice followed functionally by a. means for moistening which may be ofknown kind including a piece of sponge fed from a water reservoir andplaced so that the gummed face of the strip travels across the dampsurface beyond the cutting-off knife. The preferred construction ofguillotine appears in Figures 9 and 12, the operating lever I being ofsufficient length to contact with and actuate a member mechanicallycoupled to the blade. The movable blade 44 is conveniently hinged at oneend on a bracket 45 fixed to one side frame 3|] and extended through theother side frame l3 for actuation by the operating lever through themedium of an anvil 46 pendant from the blade and extended into the pathof the operating lever for contact by the lever during the last segmentof the outward stroke (clockwise) of the lever.

When the operating lever is turned clockwise from the positionillustrated in Figure 1 strip is being delivered until the tail piece 25of the driving pawl 24 strikes the stationary peg 25, but when suchcontact occurs, the parts take relative positions as depicted in Figure8 wherein the pawl 22 is just on dead centre with reference to astraight line passing through the hinge point of the pawls and theanchorage points of the coiled spring. As the operating lever continuesto travel on, the pawls continue in their disengaging motion untilarrested by the stops 29 as indicated in Figure 7, the direction of thepull of the spring after it passes the dead centre mov-- ing the pawl 2|from the position shown in Figure 8 to that in Figure 7. From this it isclear that positive movement of the right hand pawl 22 is accompanied byspring actuation of the left hand pawl 2|. Pawl 22 having in this mannerbeen dis-engaged, the lever travels on and strikes the anvil 46 of theguillotine Figure 12 and cuts off the strip to the selected length. Theoperating knob is now released and commences its return stroke under thepressure of the spring 6 allowing the knife to return to the position ofFigure 12. As the operating lever continues its return travel, the outeredge of the pawl 22 comes in contact with the peg 25 as shown in Figure7 and is thereby turned past the dead centre before referred to, thespring 24 completing the movement and engaging the pawl with the toothedwheel. However, as the pawl is then trailing in relation to its hingepoint, the toothed wheel is not driven, and the lever terminates itsreturn motion by contact with the left hand stop lever 7 ready for thenext actuation by the operator. During these in and out movements of thepawl 22, the other pawl 2| oscillates in sympathy by the pull of thetension spring but is checked on the one hand by the inserted peg 21 andon the other by the stop 29 on the operating lever, so that the unwantedpawl is out of action.

In the other mode of operation, the operating lever is turned about itsfulcrum from its normal standing position of rest against the stop inuse, until towards the end of the stroke contact is made with the anvilof the guillotine and the already moistened length of tape hanging fromthe machine is severed, the peg 27 in this case being inserted to holdup the right hand pawl 22 as seen in Figure 6 and render it inactive inrelation to the toothed wheel. Though the pawl 2| is in contact with thetoothed wheel, it has a trailing action in relation to its hinge pointand therefore does not drive the wheel. Before cutting-off commences,the tail 26 of the right hand pawl strikes the stop 25, disengages thepawl 22 and through the action of the tension spring effects alsodisengagement of the left hand pawl, the two pawls being carried by thelever during the cutting and return movements of the knife in thepositions shown in Figure '7, that is, both out of contact with thetoothed wheel until such time as the back or outer edge of the righthand pawl strikes the stop 25 during the return journey of the lever,whereupon the right hand pawl is turned about its pivot far enough tomove the tension spring past the dead centre, and through the springpull, turn the left hand pawl into driving engagement with the wheel.Thenceforward the return movement of the lever under its torsion springis accompanied by a rotatory movement of the main driving wheel and afeeding of the tape by the feed rollers through the machine over themoistening pad to project and hang from the delivery end of the machinemoistened and ready to be cut off at the end part of the next outwardstroke. cycle of operations to allow the gum to become tacky is avaluable and unique contribution to the art. Paying out by spring urgedmechanism at a pre-determined speed which is kept low by frictionalresistance and inertia ensures satisfactory moistening of the gum as itpasses over the damp surface, without affecting the speed at which theoperating lever is workedby the operator, in which respect the machinehas an advantage as compared with fast working of machines whichnecessarily involve a correspondingly quick passage of the gum stripover the damp surface.

Another arrangement of pawl mechanism forms the subject of Figures13-l5, the pawls in this embodiment being functionally independent andseparate the one of the other. As in tho first-described arrangement,the pawls are hinged on a common pin 23 fixed in the operating lever andare selective-1y rendered in-operative by insertion of the removable peg2?. Each of the two pawls El, 48 has its own coiled tension pull-onspring 49 anchored to the lever, and also has a tail piece 59, 5| whichrespectively project away from and towards the shaft of the operatinglever for co-operation with a bracket 52 fixed by screws 53 to theadjacent side frame I3. Said bracket includes two spaced plates 54, 55standing out at right angles to the plane of the frame and positioned sothat the inner plate 54 lies in the path of the inner tail piece 50, andthe outer plate 55 in the path of the outer tail piece 5| when the pawlsare not held out of action by the peg 21. As in Figure 1, the pawlspoint in opposite directions so that This hiatus in the l whether themachine is intended to operate in the usual manner or with a hiatusbetween the inoistening and cutting-off. In the former mode ofoperation, the right hand pawl 48 as shown in Figure 13 is lifted out ofengagement with the toothed wheel just prior to actuation of theguillotine, by the tail piece 5| coming into contact with the plate 55,the tip. of the tail piece then sliding along the under face of theplate which is of suflicient length to embrace the segment of the strokedevoted to actuation of the knife, both on the out and return strokes ofthe operating lever. Thereby, the pawl is positively held out ofengagement and allowed to turn into driving position only when the tailpiece 5| recedes from the plate on the return stroke of the lever duringwhich period of recession no driving action takes place since the pawlis then trailing behind its hinge point.

The other pawl functions in a similar manner, when the peg 2i isinserted in the other hole in the lever, by the tail piece 56 strikingand coacting with the inner plate 54, but drives the toothedwheelanti-clockwise on the return stroke of the lever. Duplicate holescorresponding to 53 in Figure 13 are provided in the side frame l3 sothat the bracket can be fixed in an alternativeposition when the maintoothed wheel meshes directly with the pinion on the feed roller spindleand the pawl 41 i. e. the left hand pawl is made the driver as in Figure14. The tail piece 50 of the pawl 41 is offset as indicated in planFigure 15 to avoid the peg 2'! and the tail piece of the right handpawl.

In both arrangements of pawl mechanism, the stops with which the pawlscontact are placed so that the calibrations I5 of unit length hold goodfor either mode of working.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. Machine for delivering lengths of sealing tape from a roll comprisingan oscillatory operating lever, feed rollers, a. driving wheel indriving connection with said feed rollers, a oneway device for couplingsaid lever and said wheel during. one stroke of the lever, an adjustablestop which arrests the return movement of said lever, a fixed member forco-operation with said stop, said member having a series of anchoragepoints at any one of which said stop can be engaged and held fordetermining the starting position of the lever and thereby the length ofstrip delivered by the machine.

2. Machine for delivering lengths of sealing tape from a roll accordingto claim 1 having a second stop adjustable independently of said otherstop for co-operation with the fixed mem her, and means on the operatinglever for selectively engaging any one of said stops.

3. Machine for delivering lengths of sealing tape from a roll comprisingan oscillatory operating lever, feed rollers, a driving wheel in drivingconnection with said feed rollers, a one- Way device for coupling saidlever and said wheel during one stroke of the lever, a plurality ofindependently adjustable stops any one of which can be selected toarrest the return movement of the lever, and means on the lever forselectively engaging any one of said stops and avoiding the other stops,said means including an adjustable abutment slidably mounted on thelever.

the right hand one is adapted to drive the toothed: wheel clockwise, oralternatively the left hand one turns the wheel anti-clockwise,according to 4; Machine, according to claim. 3 in which the outer partof the operating lever is tubular and encloses a rock shaft whichcarries the adjustable abutment.

5. Machine according to claim 3 having an operating knob at the outerend of the operating lever, a rock shaft enclosed in said outer end andfixed to said knob, an abutment pegfixed to said rock shaft, a pluralityof circumferential slots in the periphery of the enclosing part oftheoperating lever, a communicating slot or slots between saidcircumferential slots,.

said abutment projecting radially from the rock shaft through the slotsand movable radially by movement of said knob into selected positiontoavoid the unwanted stop and contact with the selected stop.

6. Machine for delivering lengths of sealing tape from a roll includinga cutting device, and means for feeding the strip to the cutting devicecomprising an oscillatory operating lever, a driving wheel, feed rollersin driven connection with said wheel, a one-way device for coupling saidlever and said wheel for one direction of movement of. the operatinglever, and'a second oneway device for coupling said lever and said wheelduring the opposite direction of movement or return stroke of theoperating lever, and means for selectively bringing one of' said one-waydevices into coupling position so that operation of the operating levereffects delivery of stripimmediately prior to operation of the cuttingdevice, or for bringing the other of the one-way devices into couplingposition so that the return stroke of the'operating lever results in thepaying out of a length of moistened strip which remains uncut in themachine until the cutting device is operated during the next succeedingout stroke of' the operating lever.

'7. In a machine for delivering lengths of sealingtape from a roll;means for feeding the strip to the cutting device including anoscillatory operating lever, feed rollers, a toothed driving wheel indriving connection with said feed rollers, two pawls hinged on theoperating lever pointing in opposite directions for engagement with theperiphery of the wheel, a frame whereon the lever is mounted, and astationary part on the frame with which one of said pawls is adaptedto'contact for moving' said pawls into or out of engagement with said'wheel.

8. Ina machine for delivering lengths of sealing tape from a roll, meansfor feeding the strip to the cutting device including an oscillatoryoperating lever, feed rollers, a toothed driving wheel in drivingconnection with said feed rollers, two pawls hinged on the operatinglever pointing in opposite directions for alternative engagement withthe wheel periphery, a frame whereon the wheel is mounted, and twostationary abutments on the frame with which one or other of the pawlsis adapted to contact for disengaging it from or allowing it to engageunder spring influence with the said wheel.

9. In a machine according to claim 7, a spring, anchorage point on eachof the pawls, and a spring stretched between and anchored to saidpoints, the points of anchorage and the point of articulation of thepawls being situated so that the common spring holds the pawls in theengaged position or in the disengaged position.

10. In a machine for delivering lengths of sealing tape from a roll,having a strip-moistening device, a cutting device, an. operating meanshaving. a to-and-fro motion, feed rollers. a driving connection withsaid feed rollers for feeding strip to the cutting device by actuationof the operating means, and a one-Way device for coupling the operatingmeans to the driving connection during the return stroke of theoperating means and efiect the paying-out of a length of moistened stripwhich remains uncut until the next succeeding operation of the operatingmeans, said one-way device being released from the driving connectionduring the first or out stroke of the operating means.

11. In a machine for delivering lengths of sealing tape from a roll, acutting device, an operating lever having a to-and-fro motion, feedrollers for feeding strip to the cutting device, a wheel intransmissional relation with said feed rollers, and a pawl mounted onthe operating lever to engage and drive the said Wheel on the returnstroke of the operating lever but to be out of driving engagement duringthe first or out stroke of the operating lever.

OWEN MASSEY.

